Authors

  1. Akalan, Cengiz PhD
  2. Scales, Robert PhD
  3. Regensteiner, Judith G. PhD

Article Content

Guidelines for health now recognize the therapeutic value of accumulating at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity habitual physical activity (PA), on most, preferably all days of the week. The Low Level Physical Activity Recall (LO-PAR) Questionnaire has been designed to measure PA regardless of fitness by recognizing both low- and high-intensity PA.

 

Purpose: This study evaluated the concurrent validity of the LO-PAR by investigating its relationship with Functional Aerobic Capacity (FAC) in an apparently healthy population.

 

Methods: The PA levels of 80 (54% male) apparently healthy volunteers (28 years; SD = 8) were quantified with the LO-PAR; an interview-administered recall of the previous week's sleep and activity at work, in the home and during recreation. Expired gas analysis during maximal graded cycle ergometer testing was used to determine FAC.

 

Results: The mean LO-PAR and FAC score was 312 (SD = 50) MET-hours/wk and 44 mL kg-1 min-1 (SD = 8), respectively. Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient identified a significant correlation between LO-PAR scores and FAC (r = 0.71, P = .003).

 

Conclusion: The LO-PAR appears to be a valid method of quantifying PA in an apparently healthy population and may be a useful measure to establish a basis for initiatives to improve PA and document progress.